Treatment of titaniferous materials

ABSTRACT

PCT No. PCT/AU93/00381 Sec. 371 Date Apr. 6, 1995 Sec. 102(e) Date Apr. 6, 1995 PCT Filed Jul. 28, 1993 PCT Pub. No. WO94/03160 PCT Pub. Date Feb. 17, 1994A process for facilitating the removal of impurities e.g. radionuclides, such as uranium and thorium, and/or one or more of their radionuclide daughters, from titaniferous material includes contacting the titaniferous material with one or more reagents at an elevated temperature selected to enhance the accessibility of at least one of the radionuclide daughters in the titaniferous material. The reagent(s) may be a glass forming reagent and is selected to form a phase at the elevated temperature which disperses onto the surfaces of the titaniferous material and incorporates the radionuclides and one or more radionuclide daughters. The titaniferous material may be, e.g., ilmenite, reduced ilmenite, altered ilmenite or synthetic rutile.

This invention relates to a process for facilitating the removal of impurities, especially but not only radionuclides such as uranium and thorium and their radionuclide daughters, from titaniferous materials, and is concerned in particular embodiments with the removal of uranium and thorium from weathered or "altered" ilmenite and products formed from the ilmenite.

Ilmenite (FeTiO₃) and rutile (TiO₂) are the major commercially-important, mineral feedstocks for titanium metal and titanium dioxide production. Although ilmenite and rutile almost invariably occur together in nature as components of "mineral sands" or "heavy minerals" (along with zircon (ZrSiO₄) and monazite ((Ce, La, Th)PO₄)), ilmenite is usually the most abundant. Natural weathering of ilmenite results in partial oxidation of the iron, originally present in ilmenite in the ferrous state (Fe² +), to ferric iron (Fe³ +). To maintain electrical neutrality, some of the oxidised iron must be removed from the ilmenite lattice. This results in a more porous structure with a higher titanium (lower iron) content. Such weathered materials are known as "altered" ilmenites and may have TiO₂ contents in excess of 60%, compared with 52.7% TiO₂ in stoichiometric (unaltered) ilmenite. As weathering, or alteration, of the ilmenite proceeds, impurities such as alumino-silicates (days) are often incorporated into the porous structure as discrete, small grains that reside in the pores of the altered ilmenite. It appears that uranium and thorium can also be incorporated into the ilmenite pores during this process.

Most of the world's mined ilmenite is used for the production of titanium dioxide pigments for use in the paint and paper industries. Pigment grade TiO₂ has been traditionally produced by reacting ilmenite with concentrated sulphuric acid and subsequent processing to produce a TiO₂ pigment--the so-called sulphate route. However this process is becoming increasingly undesirable on environmental grounds due to the large volumes of acidic liquid wastes which it produces. The alternative process--the so-called chloride route--involves reaction With chlorine to produce volatile titanium tetrachloride and subsequent oxidation to TiO₂. Unlike the sulphate route, the chloride route is capable of handling feedstocks, such as futile, which are high in TiO₂ content and low in iron and other impurities.

Consequently the chloride-route presents fewer environmental problems and has become the preferred method for TiO₂ pigment production. Also whilst the sulphate route is capable of producing only TiO₂ pigments, both titanium metal and TiO₂ pigments can be produced via the chloride route. Natural rutile supplies are insufficient to meet the world demands of the chloride-route process. Thus there is an increasing need to convert the more--plentiful ilmenites and altered ilmenites (typically 45 to 65 % TiO₂) to synthetic ruffle (containing over 90% TiO₂). A number of different processes have been developed to upgrade ilmenite to synthetic ruffle (SR), the most widely used, commercially, being the Becher process.

The Becher process involves reducing the iron in ilmenite (preferably altered ilmenite) to metallic iron in a reduction kiln at high temperatures to give so called reduced ilmenite, then oxidising the metallic iron in an aerator to produce a fine iron oxide that can be physically separated from the coarse titanium-rich grains forming a synthetic rutile. The product normally undergoes a dilute acid leach. Sulphur may be added to the kiln to facilitate removal of manganese and residual iron impurities, by formation of sulphides which are removed in the acid leach. The titanium-rich synthetic rutile so produced contains typically>90% TiO₂.

Whether ilmenite is marketed as the raw mineral or as upgraded, value-added, synthetic rutile, producers are being increasingly required to meet more stringent guide-lines for the levels of the radioactive elements uranium and thorium in their products. The Becher synthetic rutile process does not significantly reduce the levels of uranium and thorium in the product and so there exists an increasing need to develop a process for removal of uranium and thorium from ilmenite and other titaniferous materials (e.g. synthetic rutile).

Frequently ilmenite concentrates contain low levels of thorium due to monazite contamination. It is not the purpose of this invention to remove macroscopic monazite grains from titaniferous materials, but rather to remove microscopic uranium and thorium originally incorporated into the ilmenite gains during the weathering process.

It has previously been disclosed in Australian patent applications 14980/92 and 14981/92 that uranium and thorium can be removed from titaniferous material by treatment with acid containing soluble fluoride or with base followed by an acid treatment, respectively. However, while these treatments were found to indeed remove uranium and thorium from titaniferous material, it has now been discovered that the radioactivity of the material is not reduced to the extent expected from the reduction in thorium and uranium content. Further investigation has shown that this is occurring became the prior treatments are primarily removing the parent uranium and thorium isotopes, and the radionuclide daughters are not being removed to the same extent. This finding is surprising because the observed differential behaviour is the opposite of what has generally been observed with leaching treatments of radioactive materials in other fields, where the radionuclide daughters are generally removed as well as or more readily than the parent.

More specifically, for the ²³² Th chain, we have found that none of the daughters are removed to the same extent as the parent ²³² Th. This observation indicates that after, or as a result of, the transformation of ²³² Th to its immediate daughter ²²⁸ Ra, a process takes place whereby ²²⁸ Ra and all of its daughters, including ²²⁸ Th, are made less accessible than the parent ²³² Th to removal by the processes described in the above patent applications. This conclusion is confirmed by the observation that, after applying the above processes to altered ilmenite, the ²²⁸ Th isotope is often found to be in equilibrium with ²²⁸ Ra, but not with ²³² Th. If the ²²⁸ Th and ²³² Th isotopes were in the same physical environment, they would behave identically during chemical processing.

It has been surprisingly found, in accordance with a preferred first aspect of the invention, that a heating treatment may be applied to the titaniferous material effective to enhance the accessibility of the radionuclides and/or at least one of the radionuclide daughters to subsequent removal processes, whether those described in Australian patent applications 14980/92 and 14981/92 or otherwise. Preferably, the parent isotope, e.g. ²³² Th in the thorium decay chain, and its radionuclide daughters, e.g. ²²⁸ Ra and ²²⁸ Th, are rendered substantially equally accessible to subsequent thorium and/or uranium removal processes.

According to the first aspect of the present invention there is therefore provided a process for facilitating the removal of radionuclides from titaniferous material which comprises the step of heating the titaniferous material to an extent effective to enhance the accessibility of at least one of the radionuclide daughters to subsequent removal. The radionuclides may be thorium and/or uranium and/or one or more of their radionuclide daughters.

The heating temperature is preferably in excess of 500° C. Indeed it is found that in a first temperature range, e.g. between 500° C. and 10000° C., there is an enhanced removal of radionuclide daughters (e.g. ²²⁸ Th) but diminished parent (e.g. ²³² Th) removal. In a second temperature range, e.g. 1000° C. to 1300° C., and especially at or above 1200° C., removal of the parent and daughter radionuclides improves and occurs to a similar extent, while for still higher temperatures, e.g. 1400° C., the total removal is high and the similar removal of the parent and daughter radionuclides is sustained, thereby achieving a good reduction in radioactivity.

The heating step may be optimised for either chemical or physical removal processes and can be performed in either an oxidising or reducing atmosphere, or a combination of both, in any appropriate oven, furnace or reactor. It will be appreciated that the optimal heating conditions will depend upon the process of the subsequent removal step.

The processes described in Australian patent applications 14980/92 and 14981/92 were found to be more effective at removing uranium and/or thorium from ilmenite than from synthetic rutile produced by the Becher process. We have now also found that a heating treatment of the ilmenite prior to Becher processing, in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, renders the uranium and thorium in the synthetic rutile product more susceptible to subsequent leaching.

We have further found that a heat treatment of synthetic rutile, after Becher processing, also renders the uranium and thorium more susceptible to subsequent leaching.

Prior to heat treatment the thorium was found to be distributed extremely finely in altered ilmenite grains (below the level of resolution of Scanning Electron Microscopy). After heat treatment of the titaniferous material in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, to a temperature of about 1200° C. or higher, thorium rich phases of up to several microns in size could be identified at and below the surface of the titaniferous grains. The aggregation and concentration of the thorium into discrete phases, which has been observed for both ilmenite and synthetic rutile may allow physical (as well as chemical) separation of the thorium-rich phase from the titanium-rich phases by an appropriate subsequent process, e.g. attritioning. The temperatures required for optimal segregation of the thorium-rich phase are, however, higher than those necessary to render ²³² Th and its daughters equally accessible to chemical separation processes, e.g. leaching.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, titaniferous material may be subject to a pretreatment effective to cause aggregation or concentration of the radionuclides and/or one or more of the radionuclide daughters into identifiable deposits or phases, whereby to enhance subsequent separation of the radionuclides and daughters from the material.

According to the second aspect, the invention provides a process for facilitating the removal of radionuclides and/or one or more of their radionuclide daughters from titaniferous material which comprises the step of treating the titaniferous material to came aggregation or concentration of the radionuclides and one or more of their radionuclide daughters, to an extent effective to enhance the accessibility of at least one of the radionuclide daughters to subsequent removal. The radionuclides may be thorium and/or uranium and/or one or more of their radionuclide daughters.

This treatment preferably includes a heat treatment. Such heat treatment may be performed in an oxidising atmosphere, or in a reducing atmosphere or in an oxidising atmosphere and then a reducing atmosphere or in a reducing atmosphere and then an oxidising atmosphere. The treatment preferably further includes the contacting of the titaniferous material with one or more reagents selected to form a phase as a result of said heat treatment, which phase disperses onto the surfaces of the titaniferous material and incorporates the radionuclides and said one or more radionuclide daughters.

The reagent(s) are believed to be effective in providing in said phase a medium for enhanced aggregation or concentration of the thorium and/or uranium, whereby to facilitate separation of the thorium and/or uranium and/or their radionuclides daughters during subsequent leaching. They also tend to lower the heating temperature required to achieve a given degree of radionuclide removal.

In a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a process for facilitating the removal of radionuclides, such as e.g. uranium and thorium, and/or one or more of their radionuclide daughters from titaniferous material which comprises contacting the titaniferous material with one or more reagents at an elevated temperature selected to enhance the accessibility of at least one of the radionuclide daughters in the titaniferous material, the reagent(s) being selected to form a phase at said elevated temperature which disperses onto the surfaces of the titaniferous material and incorporates the radionuclides and said one or more radionuclide daughters.

Usefully, the aforementioned phase incorporating the radionuclides may take up other impurities such as silicon/silica, aluminum/alumina, manganese, and residual iron which can be removed along with the radionuclides on dissolution of the phase.

In a fourth aspect, the invention provides a process for facilitating the removal of one or more impurities from titaniferous material which comprises contacting the titaniferous material with one or more reagents at an elevated temperature, the reagent(s) being selected to form a phase at said elevated temperature which disperses onto the surfaces of the titaniferous material and incorporates the impurity(s). The impurities may comprise one or more of the group including silicon and/or silica, aluminium and/or alumina, manganese and residual iron.

In the second, third and fourth aspects of the invention, the reagent, or reagents, preferably comprise glass forming reagents such as borates, fluorides, phosphates, and silicates. By glass forming reagent is meant a compound which at an elevated temperature transforms to a glassy i.e. non-crystalline phase, comprising a three-dimensional network of atoms, usually including oxygen. The glass forming reagents may be added individually or in a combination or mixture of two or more of the compounds. In addition, reagents that act as glass modifiers i.e. as modifiers of the aforementioned network phase, such as alkali and alkaline earth compounds, may also be added with the glass forming reagents. The glass modifiers may be added as, for example, an oxide, carbonate, hydroxide, fluoride, nitrate or sulphate compound. The glass forming reagents and glass modifiers added may be naturally occurring minerals, for example borax, ulexite, colemanite or fluorite, or chemically synthesised compounds.

Particularly effective glass forming reagents for the second and third aspects of the invention, in the sense that they achieve optimum incorporation of the radionuclides and radionuclide daughters in the glassy phase, include alkali and alkaline earth borates, more preferably sodium and calcium borates and calcium sodium borates. Examples of such borates include Ca₂ B₆ O₁₁, NaCaB₅ O₉ and Na₂ B₄ O₇, which are respectively represented by the minerals colemanite Ca₂ B₆ O₁₁.5H₂ O, ulexite NaCaB₅ O₉ .8H₂ O, and borax Na₂ B₄ O₇.10H₂ O. Especially advantageous are calcium borates. An effective glass modifier in conjunction with these borates is fluorite (calcium fluoride).

A suitable elevated temperature effective to achieve a satisfactory or better level of radionuclide incorporation is in the range 900° to 1200° C., optimally 1050° to 200° C.

In each of the four aspects of the invention, the titaniferous material may be ilmenite, altered ilmenite, reduced ilmenite or synthetic rutile.

The radionuclide daughter(s) whose accessibility is enhanced preferably include ²²⁸ Th and ²²⁸ Ra.

The invention preferably further includes the step of separating radionuclide(s) from the titaniferous material.

The process, in any of its aspects, may further include treatment of the titaniferous material in accordance with one or both of Australian patent applications 14980/92 and 14981/92, ie leaching the material with an acid containing fluoride or treatment with a basic solution followed by an acid leach, or treatment with an acid or acids only. For example, the acid leach may be effective to dissolve the phase incorporating the radionuclides and radionuclide daughters, and to thereby extract the latter from the titaniferous material. The aforesaid reagent(s) may therefore be selected, inter alia, with regard to their solubility in acid, and borates are advantageous in this respect. An effective acid for this purpose is hydrochloric acid, e.g. of about IM but sulphuric acid may be preferable on practical grounds. If sulphuric acid is employed for the primary leach, a second leach with e.g. hydrochloric acid may still be necessary, preferably after washing, to extract the radionuclide daughter radium (²²⁸ Ra). When used as a second leach for this purpose rather than as the primary leach, the radium may be removed and the hydrochloric acid recirculated. The acid leach may be carried out with added fluoride, which may be advantageously provided by a fluoride reagent in the original mixture of reagents. Effective fluoride reagents for this purpose include NaF and CaF₂.

The leached solids residue may then be washed by any conventional means, such as filtration or decantation, to remove the radionuclide-rich liquid phase. This may be followed by drying or calcination.

An especially preferred application, embodying the aforedescribed aspects of the invention, may be to the production of synthetic rutile (SR) from ilmenite by an iron reduction process such as the Becher process. As mentioned, in this process, iron oxides in ilmenite are reduced largely to metallic iron in a reducing atmosphere in a kiln, at a temperature in the range 900°-1200° C., to obtain so-called reduced ilmenite. The aforementioned reagent(s) are also delivered to the kiln, and form(s) the phase which disperses onto the surfaces of the titaniferous material and incorporates the radionuclides and one or more of the radionuclide daughters. The cooled reduced ilmenite, or the synthetic rutile remaining after subsequent aqueous oxidation of the iron and separation out of the iron oxide, is subjected to an acid leach as discussed above to remove the thorium. A proportion of the radionuclides may also be removed at the aqueous oxidation stage.

The invention accordingly provides, in a particular aspect, a process for treating iron-containing titaniferous material, e.g. an ore such as ilmenite, by reducing iron in the titaniferous material largely to metallic iron in a reducing atmosphere in a kiln, preferably an elongated rotary kiln, thereby producing a so-called reduced titaniferous material, comprising feeding the titaniferous material, a reductant, preferably a particulate carbonaceous material e.g. coal, and one or more reagents, as discussed above and preferably including one or more glass forming compounds, to the kiln, maintaining an elevated temperature in the kiln, recovering a mixture which includes the reduced titaniferous material from the kiln at a discharge port, and treating the reduced titaniferous material to remove thorium and/or uranium and/or one or more of their radionuclide daughters. The maintained elevated temperature is preferably in the range 900° to 1200° C., most preferably 1050° to 1200° C.

This process preferably incorporates one or more of the main steps of the Becher process as follows:

1. Reduction, in the rotary kiln, of the iron oxides contained in the ilmenite feed largely to metallic iron using coal as the heat source and the reductant.

2. Cooling of the mixture discharging from the reduction kiln.

3. Dry physical separation of the reduced ilmenite and surplus char.

4. Aqueous oxidation (known as aeration) of the reduced ilmenite to convert the metallic iron to iron oxide particles discrete from the TiO₂ --rich mineral particles.

5. Wet physical separation to remove the iron oxide from the TiO₂ --rich mineral particles.

6. An optional acid leaching stage to remove a portion of the residual iron and manganese.

7. Washing, dewatering and drying of the synthetic ruffle product.

The treatment to remove thorium and/or uranium and/or one or more of their radionuclide daughters may advantageously be effected after and/or during step 4 and may be carried out simultaneously with step 6 by means of an acid leach, preferably with hydrochloric acid and preferably at a concentration of at least 0.05M, for example 0.5M. As previously mentioned, an initial sulphuric acid leach may be followed by a hydrochloric acid leach. The conventional acid leach in the Becher process is about 0.5M, typically of H₂ SO₄.

Alternatively, the treatment to remove thorium and/or uranium and/or one or more of their radionuclide daughters may be carried out by substituting step 4 above with an acid leach to remove the metallic iron and the radionuclides in one step. Again, HCl is preferred for this leach.

In another application, a mixture of the aforesaid reagents including one or more glass forming compounds, and perhaps one or more glass modifiers, are added to the ilmenite and heated at a temperature in the range 900° to 1200° C. before treatment by the process which includes the main steps of the Becher process as described above, and then a leach to remove thorium and/or uranium and/or one or more of their radionuclide daughters. Alternatively, the heated ilmenite with the added reagents may be leached to remove thorium and/or uranium and/or one or more of their radionuclide daughters before treatment by the Becher process.

Removal of thorium and/or uranium and/or one or more of their radionuclide daughters may also be carried out by treatment of the usual synthetic rutile (SR) product from the Becher process. In a particular application, a mixture of the aforesaid reagents including one or more glass forming compounds, and perhaps one or more glass modifiers, are added to the SR product and heated at 900° to 1200° C. before a leach to remove thorium and/or uranium and/or one or more of the radionuclide daughters.

The invention is further described and illustrated by the following non-limiting examples. In the examples the Th_(XRF) value given is the ²³² Th content of the material as determined by x-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) while the Th₆₅ value is a ²³² Th value calculated from a γ-spectrometry measurement of the ²²⁸ Th in the sample assuming that the ²³² Th and ²²⁸ Th are in secular equilibrium. When the two thorium isotopes are, in fact, in secular equilibrium then the Th_(XRF) and Th.sub.γ, values are similar. When the Th_(XRF) value is substantially less than the Th.sub.γ value, as is observed in several of the examples given, this means that the parent ²³² Th has been removed to a greater extent than the radionuclide daughters. When no Th₆₅ value is given in the Examples, qualitative measurements indicated that the activity of the sample had been reduced to a similar extent as the measured Th_(XRF) value.

The analytical data and activity values for the ilmenite and synthetic rutile examples in the following samples were as follows:

                  TABLE A                                                          ______________________________________                                                                  SYNTHETIC                                                    ILMENITE          RUTILE                                                SAMPLE   A       B       E     F     C     D                                   ______________________________________                                         XRF                                                                            Analysis                                                                       Th(ppm)  375     357     240   118   421   306                                 TiO.sub.2 (%)                                                                           59.25   61.92   62.28 61.59 89.78 91.26                               Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 (%)                                                                    35.15   33.45   32.33 32.62 6.43  4.54                                Mn.sub.3 O.sub.4 (%)                                                                    1.36    1.31    1.31  1.12  1.72  1.09                                SiO.sub.2 (%)                                                                           1.22    0.98    0.55  0.79  1.32  1.46                                Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 (%)                                                                    0.61    0.70    1.36  1.14  1.15  1.19                                CaO (%)  0.00    0.00    0.00  0.01  0.00  0.02                                Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 (%)                                                                    0.19    0.17    0.04  0.08  0.07  0.09                                ZrO.sub.2 (%)                                                                           0.20    0.19    0.05  0.22  0.93  0.21                                γ-spectro-                                                               metry                                                                          .sup.228 Ra (Bq/g)                                                                      1.43    1.35    nd.   nd.   1.6   127                                 .sup.228 Th (Bq/g)                                                                      1.44    1.35    nd.   nd.   1.7   1.26                                Calc Th  355     332     nd.   nd.   395   310                                 (ppm)                                                                          ______________________________________                                          nd. = Not determined                                                     

EXAMPLE 1

The effect of a heating pre-treatment for the ilmenite on subsequent removal of thorium from the ilmenite by leaching is shown in this example.

Samples of Eneabba North ilmenite (SAMPLE A), with Th_(XRF) and Th.sub.γ assay values of 375 and 355 ppm Th, respectively, were heated at 500°, 750°, 1000°, 1100°, 1200°, 1300° and 1400° C. in a muffle furnace for 2 or 16 hours.

The heated ilmenite samples, and a sample of un-heated ilmenite, were reacted with 2 molar sodium hydroxide solution at a solids content of 40 wt % solids in a reactor fitted with a stirrer rotating continuously at 750 rev/min., a thermopocket containing a thermometer (or thermocouple) and a reflux condenser. The reactor was heated by a heating mantle that was connected via a temperature controller to the thermocouple. In this way, the reaction mixture could be maintained at the desired temperature. The mixture was heated at 70° C. for 1 h. The solid residue was then filtered, thoroughly washed with water and analysed.

The sodium hydroxide treated product was then returned to the reactor and leached with 6 molar hydrochloric acid containing 0.5 molar sodium fluoride solution at a solids content of 25 wt % solids at 85° C. for 2 h. The solid residue was again filtered, washed thoroughly with water, dried and analysed.

The thorium analyses for the un-heated and heated samples of SAMPLE A after the leaching with sodium hydroxide followed by hydrochloric acid containing sodium fluoride are given in Table 1.

                  TABLE 1                                                          ______________________________________                                         HEATING     HEATING                                                            TEMPERATURE TIME         Th.sub.XRF                                                                              Th.sub.γ                               (°C.)                                                                               (h)          (ppm Th) (ppm Th)                                     ______________________________________                                         *           *            89       307                                          500         2            98       302                                          750         2            156      270                                          1000        2            294      270                                          1100        16           258      248                                          1200        16           157      150                                          1300        16           205      182                                          1400        16           90       98                                           ______________________________________                                          *Unheated but otherwise treated sample of SAMPLE A. The Th.sub.XRF and         Th.sub.γ values for SAMPLE A were 375 and 355 ppm Th respectively. 

The results in Table 1 show that

1) Good leaching of ²³² Th, but virtually no ²²⁸ Th, is achieved at temperatures of 500° C. and lower.

2) At intermediate temperatures of 750° and 1000° C., moderate leaching of ²³² Th is obtained with increasing amounts of ²²⁸ Th also being leached, but the total removal of thorium is less than with the unheated sample.

3) At higher temperatures in the range 1000°-13000° C., especially at or above 1200° C., moderate amounts of both ²³² Th and ²²⁸ Th (i.e. parent ²³² Th and the radionuclide daughters) are equally removed, with the total thorium removal improving with increasing temperature.

4) At 1400° C. good total removal of thorium is achieved with both ²³² Th and ²²⁸ Th being removed to a similar extent. The radioactivity of the resultant product was found to be substantially less than that of the unheated sample after leaching.

EXAMPLE 2

The effect of a heating pre-treatment before reduction and aeration of the ilmenite on subsequent removal of thorium from the resulting ilmenite by leaching is shown in this example.

Samples of Eneabba North ilmenite (SAMPLE A)were heated at 750°, 1000°, 1200°, and 1400° C. in a muffle furnace for 2 or 16 hours. The heated samples were reduced with char (-2+0.5 mm) at 1100° C. under conditions established in the laboratory to give a product similar to that produced in the reduction kiln in the Becher process.

The reduced ilmenite produced was aerated in an ammonium chloride medium under conditions similar to those used in the Becher process to remove metallic iron and then leached with hydrochloric acid containing sodium fluoride at 25 wt % solids at 90° C. for 2 hours. In some cases the acid leach was preceded with a leach with 2.5M NaOH at 25 wt % solids at 75° C. for 1 hour.

In Table 2, the results for the heated and reduced samples are compared with that for a sample that was not heated before reduction. The results show that as the temperature of the heating pre-treatment increases, the amount of thorium removed in the acid leach also increases. The results also show that the activity is removed to the same extent as the thorium.

                  TABLE 2                                                          ______________________________________                                         PRE-HEAT  REDUCTION                                                            Temp  Time    Temp    Time  ACID     Th.sub.XRF                                                                           Th.sub.γ                      (°C.)                                                                         (h)     (°C.)                                                                           (h)   LEACH*   (ppm) (ppm)                               ______________________________________                                         --    --      1100    1     A        305   295                                  750  2       1100    1     A        279   nd.                                 1000  2       1100    1     B        259   270                                 1200  16      1100    1     B        258   258                                 1400  16      1100    1.5   B        153   nd.                                 ______________________________________                                          *After aeration with NH.sub.4 /Cl + O.sub.2 to remove metallic iron,           reduced samples were leached with 6M HCl + 0.1M NaF(A), or 2.5M NaOH then      6M HCl + 0.5M NaF (B).                                                         n.d. = Not determined                                                    

EXAMPLE 3

The enhanced leachability of thorium and its daughters from synthetic rutile after heating the synthetic rutile is shown in this example.

Samples of standard grade synthetic ruffle (SR) from the Narngulu plant (SAMPLE C) were heated in a muffle furnace at temperatures of 1000°-1400° C. for 16 hours. The heated SR samples were then leached with sodium hydroxide at 25 wt % solids at 75° C. for 1 hour, followed by hydrochloric acid containing sodium fluoride at 25 wt % solids at 90° C. for 2 hours. The results in Table 3 show that the parent Th and the radionuclide daughters are removed to a greater extent from the SR samples as the temperature at which it is heated increases.

                  TABLE 3                                                          ______________________________________                                         Heating                                                                        Temperature                                                                               Heating time Th.sub.XRF                                                                              Th.sub.γ                                (°C.)                                                                              (h)          (ppm Th) (ppm Th)                                      ______________________________________                                         No heating --           421      395                                           No heating but leached  302      300                                           1100       16           250      197                                           1200       16           223      221                                           1300       16           235      214                                           1400       16           170      160                                           ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 4

The effect of the addition of silica alone, and with other reagents, to the ilmenite before a heat treatment is shown in this example.

Samples of Eneabba North ilmenite (SAMPLE A) were mixed with precipitated silica, and mixtures of precipitated silica and sodium fluoride or monosodium dihydrogen phosphate dihydrate, and heated in a muffle furnace at 1000° to 1300° C. for 1 to 2 hours. A sub-sample of the heated sample was leached with hydrochloric acid containing sodium fluoride at 25 wt % solids at 90° C. for 2 hours.

In Table 4, the results for the treated, heated and leached ilmenite samples are compared with those for ilmenite heated and leached but without addition of silica or the other reagents. The results shown that the addition of silica alone has little effect after heating at 1150° C., but that the addition of sodium fluoride is beneficial with the thorium removal increasing with increasing heating temperature. The results show that the activity is removed to a similar extent as the thorium.

The addition of a phosphate with the silica results in better thorium removal and heating temperatures of only 1000° C. are required.

                                      TABLE 4                                      __________________________________________________________________________            ADDITION  HEATING                                                              Total     Temp                                                                               Time                                                                              ACID  Th.sub.XRF                                                                         Th.sub.γ                               REAGENT                                                                               (% W/W)                                                                              Ratio                                                                              (°C.)                                                                       (h)                                                                               LEACH*                                                                               (ppm)                                                                              (ppm)                                        __________________________________________________________________________     No additive                                                                           --    --  1000                                                                               2  A     294 270                                          No additive                                                                           --    --  1200                                                                               2  A     250 n.d.                                         SiO.sub.2                                                                             3     --  1150                                                                               1  B     299 283                                          SiO.sub.2 + NaF                                                                       5     1:1 1000                                                                               1  B     228 n.d.                                         SiO.sub.2 + NaF                                                                       5     1:1 1150                                                                               1  B     228 233                                          SiO.sub.2 + NaF                                                                       5     1:1 1300                                                                               1  B     80   81                                          SiO.sub.2 + MSP                                                                       3     1:1 1000                                                                               2  B     132 n.d.                                         SiO.sub.2 + MSP                                                                       5     1:2 1000                                                                               2  B     45  n.d.                                         Water glass                                                                           4.7   --  1000                                                                               2  C     183 n.d.                                                1.7   --  1100                                                                               1.5                                                                               C     125 n.d.                                         __________________________________________________________________________      *Acid leach with 2.5M NaOH then 6M HCl + 0.5M NaF (A), or 6M HCl + 0.5M        NaF (B), or 6M HCl + 0.2M NaF (C).                                             n.d. = not determined                                                    

EXAMPLE 5

The effect of the addition of a phosphate compound to the ilmenite before a heat treatment is shown in this example.

A sample of Eneabba North ilmenite (SAMPLE A) was mixed with analytical reagent grade (AnalaR) monosodium dihydrogen phosphate dihydrate or with commercial phosphate samples (1 to 5% by weight), wetted with water, mixed wet, dried in an oven at 120° C. and then heated in a muffle furnace at 1000° C. for 1 hour. A sub-sample of the phosphate-treated and heated ilmenite was leached with an acid containing sodium fluoride at 25 wt % solids at 90° C. for two hours.

In Table 5, the results for the phosphate-treated, heated and leached ilmenite are compared with those for ilmenite that was heated and leached without addition of phosphate before heating. The results indicate that the thorium removal is much greater from the material treated with phosphate. The results also indicate that an increased acid strength is needed to achieve a similar degree of thorium removal for a lower reagent addition.

                  TABLE 5                                                          ______________________________________                                                ADDI-                                                                          TION  HEATING                                                           REA-     (%      Temp    Time ACID   Th.sub.XRF                                                                           Th.sub.γ                      GENT*    W/W)    (°C.)                                                                           (h)  LEACH  (ppm) (ppm)                               ______________________________________                                         No additive                                                                             --      1000    2    A      294   270                                 AR Grade                                                                       MSP      1       1000    1    B      164   nd.                                 MSP      2       1000    1    B      97    100                                 MSP      2       1000    1    C      136   204                                 MSP      5       1000    1    D      67     81                                 Commercial                                                                     Grade                                                                          MSP      2       1000    1    B      55    nd.                                 SPP      2       1000    1    B      55    nd.                                 TSPP     2       1000    1    B      50    nd.                                 ______________________________________                                          *MSP = monosodium dihydrogen phosphate dehydrate                               SPP = sodium pyrophosphate                                                     TSSP = tetrasodium pyrophosphate                                               Acid leach with 2.5M NaOH then 6M HCl + 0.5M NaF (A), or 6M HCl + 0.1M Na      (B), or 3M H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 + 0.1M NaF (C) or 1M HCl + 0.1M NaF (D)            n.d. = Not determined                                                    

EXAMPLE 6

The effect of the addition of a fluoride salt alone, and with other reagents, to the ilmenite before a heat treatment is shown in this example.

Sodium or calcium fluoride, alone, or in combination with sodium carbonate, a phosphate, or borax, were added to one of two Eneabba North ilmenites (SAMPLE A or SAMPLE B). The samples were heated in a muffle furnace at 1000° or 1150° C. for 1 hour and leached with hydrochloric acid or hydrochloric acid containing sodium fluoride at 25 wt % solids at 90° C. for 2 hours.

The results in Table 6 indicate that the addition of sodium fluoride alone, or the fluorides in combination with the other reagents, resulted in a substantially greater removal of thorium in the heat and leach treatment compared with the samples to which no reagents were added before the heat and leach.

                                      TABLE 6                                      __________________________________________________________________________                     ADDITION                                                                               HEATING                                                                Total   Temp                                                                               Time                                                                              ACID TH.sub.XRF                                 ILMENITE                                                                              REAGENT* (wt %)                                                                             Ratio                                                                              (°C.)                                                                       (h)                                                                               LEACH                                                                               (ppm)                                      __________________________________________________________________________     A      No additive                                                                             --  --  1000                                                                               2  A    294                                        B      No additive                                                                             --  --  1000                                                                               2  B    255                                        A      NaF      5   --  1000                                                                               1  B    76                                         A      CaF.sub.2                                                                               5   --  1000                                                                               1  B    303                                        A      NaF + Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3                                                                 5   1:1 1000                                                                               1  B    65                                         B      CaF.sub.2 + Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3                                                           5   1:2 1150                                                                               1  B    141                                        B      NaF + MSP                                                                               5   1:9 1000                                                                               1  C    55                                         B      CaF.sub.2 + TSPP                                                                        2   1:4 1000                                                                               1  D    136                                        A      NaF + borax                                                                             5   1:1 1000                                                                               1  B    110                                        B      CaF.sub.2 + borax                                                                       5   1:1 1000                                                                               1  D    55                                         __________________________________________________________________________      *MSP = monosodium dihydrogen phosphate dihydrate                               TSSP = tetrasodium pyrophosphate                                               Acid leach with 2.5M NaOH then 6M HCl + 0.5M NaF (A), or 6M HCl + 0.5M Na      (B), or 6M HCl + 0.1M NaF (C), or 1M HCl (D)                             

EXAMPLE 7

The effect of the addition of borate minerals to the ilmenite before a heat treatment is shown in this example.

Naturally occurring borate minerals, in particular a sodium borate (borax, Na₂ B₄ O₇.1OH₂ O), a sodium calcium borate (ulexite NaCaB₅ O₉.8H₂ O) and a calcium borate (colemanite Ca₂ B₆ O₁₁.5H₂ O) were added at 2 to 5% by weight to Eneabba North ilmenite (SAMPLE B), heated in a muffle furnace at 900° to 1100° C. and leached with hydrochloric acid or hydrochloric acid containing sodium fluoride at 25 wt % solids at 60° or 90° C. for 2 hours.

In Table 7 the results for the ilmenite treated with a borate mineral, heated and leached are compared with that for a sample that was heated and leached without the addition of a borate. The results show that good removal of thorium was achieved with borax and ulexite after heating at 1000° and 1100° C. but that a heating temperature of 1100° C. is necessary when colemanite is added. This is in line with the higher melting temperature of colemanite compared with borax and ulexite. The results also show that more thorium is removed when the amount of borate added is increased.

                  TABLE 7                                                          ______________________________________                                                       HEATING                                                                   ADDITION   Temp    Time ACID    Th.sub.XRF                            REAGENT  (% W/W)    (°C.)                                                                           (h)  LEACH*  (ppm)                                 ______________________________________                                         No additive                                                                             --         1000    2    A       255                                   Borax    3          1000    1    B       134                                            4          1000    1    C       113                                   Ulexite  3          1000    1    B       187                                            3          1100    1    B       78                                             4          1100    1    B       45                                    Colemanite                                                                              3           900    1    B       275                                            3          1000    1    B       247                                            3          1100    1    B       98                                             2          1100    1    B       70                                             3          1100    1    B       98                                             5          1100    1    B       64                                    ______________________________________                                          *Acid Leach with 6M HCl + 0.5M NaF (A), or 1M HCl (B), or 1M HCl + 0.1M        NaF (C)                                                                  

EXAMPLE 8

In this example, the effect of the addition of a borate mineral (borax or ulexite) and a calcium salt (fluoride, hydroxide, or sulphate) to ilmenite before heating is shown.

A borate mineral and a calcium salt (3 to 4% by weight in the ratio 1:1 or 2:1) were added to Eneabba North ilmenite (SAMPLE B) and heated in a muffle furnace at 900° to 1100° C for 1 hour and then leached with hydrochloric acid or hydrochloric acid containing sodium fluoride at 25 wt % solids at 60° or 90° C. for 2 hours.

The results in Table 8 show that good removal of thorium and activity was achieved, particularly with heating temperatures of 1000° and 11000° C. The results also show that, when calcium fluoride is added, a large amount of thorium can be removed in an acid leach with a low acid strength of 0.25M HCl.

                                      TABLE 8                                      __________________________________________________________________________                ADDITION  HEATING                                                              Total     Temp                                                                               Time                                                                              ACID  Th.sub.XRF                                                                         Th.sub.γ                           REAGENT    (% W/W)                                                                              Ratio                                                                              (°C.)                                                                       (h)                                                                               LEACH*                                                                               (ppm)                                                                              (ppm)                                    __________________________________________________________________________     No additive                                                                               --    --  1000                                                                               2  A     255 253                                      Borax + CaF.sub.2                                                                         3     1:1  900                                                                               1  B     203 200                                                 3     1:1 1000                                                                               1  B     123 118                                                 3     1:1 1100                                                                               1  B     74  84                                       Ulexite + CaF.sub.2                                                                       3     1:1 1000                                                                               1  B     76  72                                       Borax + Ca(OH).sub.2                                                                      3     2:1 1000                                                                               1  C     78  n.d.                                     Ulexite + Ca(OH).sub.2                                                                    3     2:1 1000                                                                               1  C     40  n.d.                                     Borax + CaSO.sub.4.2H.sub.2 O                                                             4     1:1 1000                                                                               1  C     146 n.d.                                     __________________________________________________________________________      *Acid leach with 6M HCl + 0.5M NaF (A), or 0.25M HCl (B), or 1M HCl (C)        n.d. = not determined                                                    

EXAMPLE 9

The removal of thorium and uranium from a sample of ilmenite treated with borax and calcium fluoride (fluorite) by leaching after a heat treatment is shown in this example.

Samples of Eneabba North ilmenite (SAMPLE B) were mixed with borax and calcium fluoride (2 to 5% by weight in a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio) and heated in a muffle furnace at 1000° or 1150° C. for 1 hour and then leached with hydrochloric acid or hydrochloric acid containing sodium fluoride at 25 wt % solids at 60° C. for 2 hours.

The results in Table 9 show that the thorium (both the parent ²³² Th as indicated by Th_(XRF) value and daughter ²²⁸ Th as indicated by the Th.sub.γ value) and uranium in the ilmenite are removed by the heat and leach treatment. The results show that the amount of thorium and uranium removed increases with increasing addition of borax and calcium fluoride with a heating temperature of 1000° C. for 1 hour and a leach with 0.25M HCl. A higher heating temperature of 1150° C. and a leach with a stronger acid (2M HCl) results in removal of a larger amount of thorium and uranium.

                                      TABLE 9                                      __________________________________________________________________________             ADDITION  HEATING                                                              Total     Temp                                                                               Time                                                                              ACID  Th.sub.XRF                                                                         Th.sub.γ                                                                     U                                       REAGENT (% W/W)                                                                              Ratio                                                                              (°C.)                                                                       (h)                                                                               LEACH*                                                                               (ppm)                                                                              (ppm)                                                                              (ppm)                                   __________________________________________________________________________     No additive                                                                            --    --  --  -- --    357 332 10.4                                    No additive                                                                            --    --  1150                                                                               1  A     190 172 11.0                                    Borax + CaF.sub.2                                                                      2     1:1 1000                                                                               1  B     164 140 8.3                                             3     1:1 1000                                                                               1  B     123 118 7.3                                             4     1:1 1000                                                                               1  B     75  74  6.2                                             5     2:1 1000                                                                               1  B     92  91  5.9                                             5     2:1 1150                                                                               1  C     <25 25  2.2                                     __________________________________________________________________________      *Acid leach with 6M HCl + 0.5M NaF (A), or 0.25M HCl (B), or 2M HCl (C)  

EXAMPLE 10

The effect of the time ilmenite, treated with borax and calcium fluoride (fluorite), is heated at temperature is shown in this example.

Samples of Eneabba North ilmenite (SAMPLE B) were mixed with borax and calcium fluoride (3% by weight in a 1:1 ratio) and heated in a muffle furnace at 1000° C. for 0.25 to 4 hours and then leached with 0.25M hydrochloric acid at 25 wt % solids at 60° C. for 2 hours.

The results in Table 10 suggest that there is an optimum time for which the sample should be heated in order to remove the greatest amount of thorium in the acid leach. The results also indicate that the activity is removed along with the thorium. Heating for too long reduces the amount of thorium removed.

                                      TABLE 10                                     __________________________________________________________________________             ADDITION  HEATING                                                              Total     Temp                                                                               Time                                                                              ACID  Th.sub.XRF                                                                         Th.sub.γ                              REAGENT (% W/W)                                                                              Ratio                                                                              (°C.)                                                                       (h)                                                                               LEACH*                                                                               (ppm)                                                                              (ppm)                                       __________________________________________________________________________     No additive                                                                            --    --  1000                                                                               2  A     255 253                                         Borax + CaF.sub.2                                                                      3     1:1 1000                                                                               0.25                                                                              B     140 147                                                 3     1:1 1000                                                                               0.5                                                                               B     102 100                                                 3     1:1 1000                                                                               1  B     123 118                                                 3     1:1 1000                                                                               2  B     141 114                                                 3     1:1 1000                                                                               4  B     166 160                                         __________________________________________________________________________      *Acid leach with 6M HCl + 0.5M NaF (A), or 0.25M HCl (B)                 

EXAMPLE 11

The effect of the addition of borate minerals to ilmenite before reduction is shown in this example.

Samples Of Eneabba North ilmenite (SAMPLE A or SAMPLE B)were mixed with borate minerals (borax, ulexite, or colemanite) or borate mineral (born or ulexite) and calcium fluoride (fluorite), wetted with water, mixed wet, and added with char (-2+0.5 mm) to a silica pot. The sample was heated in a muffle furnace at 1000° or 1150° C. for 1 to 4 hours to reduce the ilmenite and form reduced ilmenite. A sub-sample of the reduced ilmenite was either aerated to remove metallic iron and leached with hydrochloric acid containing sodium fluoride at 25 wt % solids at 60° C. for 2 hours or treated directly with hydrochloric acid at 9.1 wt % solids at 60° C. for 2 hours to dissolve the metallic iron, thorium and associated activity.

In Table 11 results for the borate treated, reduced and leached samples are compared with those for samples reduced and leached but without the addition of the borate minerals. The results show that the addition of the borate minerals results in greater thorium removal. Also the results indicate that a higher reduction temperature gives higher thorium removal in the acid leach. The rutile is in a more reduced state in the product from reductions at 1150° C. than from reductions at 1100° C.

                                      TABLE 11                                     __________________________________________________________________________                    ADDITION  REDUCTION *                                                          Total     Temp Time                                                                               ACID  Th.sub.XRF                             ILMENITE                                                                              REAGENT (% W/W)                                                                              Ratio                                                                              (°C.)                                                                        (h) LEACH **                                                                             (ppm)                                  __________________________________________________________________________     A      No additive                                                                            --    --  1100 1   A     305                                    B      No additive                                                                            --    --  1100 1   A     223                                    A      Borax   4     --  1100 1   B     114                                    A      Borax   4     --  1150 1   C     112                                    A      Borax + CaF.sub.2                                                                      5     3.5:1.5                                                                            1100 4   D     249                                    A      Borax + CaF.sub.2                                                                      5     3.5:1.5                                                                            1150 1.5 D      30                                    B      Ulexite 5     --  1100 1.5 D      99                                    B      Ulexite 5     --  1150 1.5 D     <25                                    B      Ulexite + CaF.sub.2                                                                    5     2:1 1150 1.5 D      78                                    B      Colemanite                                                                             5     --  1100 1.5 D      53                                    B      Colemanite                                                                             5     --  1150 1.5 D      45                                    __________________________________________________________________________      * Reduction in a silica pot with ilmenite:char (-2 + 0.5 mm) = 2:1             ** Aeration and one (A) or two (B) acid leaches with 6M HCl + 0.5M NaF, o      direct leach with 1.95M HCl and then 6M HCl + 0.5M NaF (C), or 2M HCl (D)                                                                               

EXAMPLE 12

The effect of the addition of borate minerals to ilmenite before reduction with coal as a solid reductant and a heating profile similar to that existing in commercial Becher reduction kilns is shown in this example.

Samples of Eneabba North ilmenite (SAMPLE B) were mixed with borate minerals (borax, ulexite, or colemanite) or borax plus calcium fluoride (fluorite), mixed with coal (-10+5 mm) and placed in a drum. The drum was rolled inside a furnace and heated m a temperature of 1100° or 1150° C. using a heating profile similar to that in commercial Becher reduction kilns to obtain a reduced ilmenite sample of similar composition to that obtained in commercial plants. The reduced ilmenite was either aerated and leached with hydrochloric acid containing sodium fluoride at 25 wt % solids at 60° C. for 2 hours or leached with hydrochloric acid directly at 9.1 wt % solids at 60° C. for 2 hours.

The results in Table 12 indicate that good thorium removal is achieved with borax and calcium fluoride and with ulexite with a reduction temperature of 1150° C., while with colemanite this is achieved with a reduction temperature of 1100° C. The results indicate that the activity is removed along with the thorium.

                                      TABLE 12                                     __________________________________________________________________________             ADDITION  REDUCTION *                                                          Total     Temp Time                                                                               ACID  Th.sub.XRF                                                                         (Th.sub.γ)                          REAGENT (% W/W)                                                                              Ratio                                                                              (°C.)                                                                        (h) LEACH **                                                                             (ppm)                                                                              (ppm)                                     __________________________________________________________________________     No additive                                                                            --    --  1100 10  A     256 246                                       Borax   4     --  1100 10  A     307 312                                       Borax + CaF.sub.2                                                                      5     2:1 1100 10  B     306 n.d.                                              5     2:1 1150 10  B     <25  25                                       Ulexite 5     --  1100 10  B     191 n.d.                                              5     --  1150  5  B     <25 n.d.                                      Colemanite                                                                             3     --  1100 11  B      89  96                                                                  C      88 113                                                                  D      88 103                                       __________________________________________________________________________      * Reduction in a rotating drum with ilmenite:coal (-10 + 5 mm) = 1:1 with      heating profile to the required temperature.                                   ** Aeration and a leach with 6M HCl + 0.5M NaF (A), or a direct leach wit      2M HCl (B) or 1.75M H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 (C), or aeration and a leach with 2M      HCl (D)                                                                        n.d. = Not determined                                                    

EXAMPLE 13

The selective removal of the thorium and then radium from ilmenite by an acid leach after reduction of the ilmenite is shown in this example.

A sample of Eneabba North ilmenite (SAMPLE B) mixed with colemanite (3% by weight) was reduced with coal (-10 +5 mm) in a rotating drum at 1100° C. using a heating profile similar to that in commercial Becher reduction kilns to obtain a reduced ilmenite sample of similar composition to that obtained in commercial plants. The reduced ilmenite was either leached with hydrochloric acid at 9.1 wt % solids at 60° C. for 2 hours or aerated in ammonium chloride solution and then leached with sulphuric acid at 25 wt % solids at 60° C. for 1 hour followed by hydrochloric acid at 25 wt % solids at 60° C. for 1 hour.

The results in Table 13 show that leaching the reduced ilmenite with hydrochloric acid removes the thorium (both the parent ²³² Th and daughter ²²⁸ Th) and the radium (the daughter ²²⁸ Ra). However, when sulphuric acid is used followed by hydrochloric acid, only the thorium is removed in the sulphuric acid leach and the radium is removed in the subsequent hydrochloric acid leach.

                  TABLE 13                                                         ______________________________________                                                          Th.sub.XRF                                                                             Th.sub.γ                                                                         .sup.228 Th                                                                          .sup.228 Ra                             TREATMENT        (ppm)   (ppm)   (Bq/g)                                                                               (Bq/g)                                  ______________________________________                                         Reduction to RI* 399     344     1.40  1.39                                    Leach of RI with 2M HCl                                                                         128     133     0.54  0.21                                    Aeration of RI in NH.sub.4 Cl/air                                                               415     408     1.66  1.02                                    Leach with 0.5M H.sub.2 SO.sub.4                                                                145     165     0.67  1.00                                    Further Leach with IM HCl                                                                       128     123     0.50  0.15                                    ______________________________________                                          *Reduction of SAMPLE B with colemanite (3% by weight) in a rotating drum       with ilmenite:coal (-10 + 5 mm) = 1:1 with heating profile to 1100.degree      C.                                                                       

EXAMPLE 14

The removal of thorium and uranium from ilmenite treated with colemanite by leaching after its reduction to reduced ilmenite is shown in this sample.

A sample of Eneabba North ilmenite (SAMPLE B) mixed with colemanite (3% by weight) was reduced with coal (-10+5 mm) in a rotating drum at 1100° C. using a heating profile similar to that in commercial Becher reduction kilns to obtain a reduced ilmenite sample of similar composition to that obtained in commercial plants. The reduced ilmenite was either leached with hydrochloric acid at 9.1 wt % solids at 60° C. for 2 hours or aerated in ammonium chloride solution and leached with hydrochloric acid at 9.1 wt % solids at 60° C. for 2 hours. The results in Table 14 show that both the thorium and uranium are removed in a hydrochloric leach of the reduced ilmenite either before or after aeration.

                  TABLE 14                                                         ______________________________________                                                           Th.sub.XRF                                                                              Th.sub.γ                                                                          U                                          TREATMENT         (ppm)    (ppm)    (ppm)                                      ______________________________________                                         No treatment      357      332      10.4                                       Reduction* to RI with addition of                                                                347      425      10.4                                       ilmenite                                                                       Leach of RI with 2M HCl                                                                           89       96      6.3                                        Aeration of RI with NH.sub.4 Cl/air                                                              458      442      13.5                                       Leach of with 2M HCl                                                                              88      103      6.5                                        ______________________________________                                          *Reduction of SAMPLE B plus colemanite (3% by weight) in rotating drum         with ilmenite:coal (-10 + 5 mm) = 1:1 and 10 hours heating profile to          1100° C.                                                          

EXAMPLE 15

The effect of a heating pre-treatment before reduction on the removal of thorium in an acid leach is shown in this example.

Samples of Eneabba North ilmenite (SAMPLE B) were mixed with ulexite or colemanite (3% by weight) and heated at 1000° or 1100° C. for 1 hour. The heated sample was cooled and then reduced with coal (-10 +5 mm) in a rotating drum at 1100° C. using a heating profile similar to that in commercial Becher reduction kilns to obtain a reduced ilmenite sample of similar composition to that obtained in commercial plants. The reduced ilmenite was leached with hydrochloric acid at 9.1 wt % solids at 60° C. for 2 hours.

In Table 15 the results for ilmenite treated with ulexite or colemanite, heated, reduced and leached are compared with those for samples reduced, or heated and reduced, without the addition of the borate minerals. The results show that thorium is removed in the acid leach on the samples treated with ulexite or colemanite before heating.

                                      TABLE 15                                     __________________________________________________________________________                   PRE-HEAT                                                                              REDUCTION *                                                             Temp                                                                               Time                                                                              Temp Time                                                                               ACID Th.sub.XRF                                  REAGENT                                                                               ADDITION                                                                              (°C.)                                                                       (h)                                                                               (°C.)                                                                        (h) LEACH                                                                               (ppm)                                       __________________________________________________________________________     No additive                                                                           --     --  -- 1100 10  2M HCl                                                                              350                                         No additive                                                                           --     1000                                                                               1  1100 10  2M HCl                                                                              379                                         Ulexite                                                                               3      1000                                                                               1  1100 10  2M HCl                                                                              172                                         Ulexite                                                                               3      1100                                                                               1  1100 10  2M HCl                                                                              187                                         Colemanite                                                                            3      1000                                                                               1  1100 10  2M HCl                                                                              134                                         Colemanite                                                                            3      1100                                                                               1  1100 10  2M HCl                                                                              177                                         __________________________________________________________________________      * Reduction in rotating drum with heated ilmenite:coal (-10 + 5 mm) = 1:1      and 10 hours heating profile to 1100° C.                          

EXAMPLE 16

The effect of the addition of borate minerals to ilmenite before reduction in an atmosphere of hydrogen and carbon dioxide is shown in this example.

Samples of Eneabba North ilmenite (SAMPLE A) were mixed with borate minerals (borax, ulexite, or colemanite), placed in a molybdenum boat and positioned inside a glass tube in the hot zone of a tube furnace. The sample was reduced at 1100° or 1150° C. for 2 or 4 hours in a flowing gas stream of a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide of composition such as to give a similar oxygen partial pressure as in a Becher reduction kiln (PH₂ /PCO₂ =34.68). The resulting reduced ilmenite was leached with hydrochloric acid at 9.1 wt % solids at 60° C. for 2 hours.

The results in Table 16 show that good thorium removal was achieved in the acid leach in all cases.

                  TABLE 16                                                         ______________________________________                                         ADDI-         REDUCTION *                                                      REA-    TION      Temp     Time  ACID    Th.sub.XRF                            GENT    (% W/W)   (°C.)                                                                            (h)   LEACH **                                                                               (ppm)                                 ______________________________________                                         No additive                                                                            --        1100     2     A       419                                   Borax   4         1150     2     A       40                                            5         1150     4     A       32                                    Ulexite 5         1100     2     A       91                                                      1150     2     A       <25                                   Colemanite                                                                             5         1100     2     A       82                                            2         1150     2     A       <25                                   ______________________________________                                          * Reduction in molybdenum boat in flowing H.sub.2 + CO.sub.2 gas mixture       with PH.sub.2 /PCO.sub.2 - 34.68 equivalent to reduction potential in a        commercial Becher kiln.                                                        ** Acid leach with 2M HCl (A)                                            

EXAMPLE 17

Removal of thorium from plant synthetic rutile after treatment with a borate mineral, heating, and leaching is shown in this example.

Samples of synthetic rutile from the plant at Narngulu (SAMPLE C) were mixed with borax, borax and calcium fluoride (fluorite), ulexite or colemanite and heated at 1000° or 1150° C. for 1 hour and then leached with hydrochloric acid at 25 wt % solids at 60° or 90° C. for 2 hours.

In Table 17 results for plant synthetic ruffle treated with borates, heated and leached are compared with those for the synthetic rutile either just leached or heated and leached without the addition of borate minerals. The results show that thorium is removed from the synthetic rutile by an acid leach when the borate minerals are added.

                                      TABLE 17                                     __________________________________________________________________________             ADDITION  HEATING                                                              Total     Temp                                                                               Time                                                                              ACID  Th.sub.XRF                                                                         Th.sub.γ                              REAGENT (% W/W)                                                                              Ratio                                                                              (°C.)                                                                       (h)                                                                               LEACH *                                                                              (ppm)                                                                              (ppm)                                       __________________________________________________________________________     No additive                                                                            --    --  --  -- --    421 395                                         No additive                                                                            --    --  --  -- A     302 300                                         No additive                                                                            --    --  1000                                                                               2  A     260 n.d.                                        Borax   5     --  1150                                                                               1  B     103 n.d.                                        Borax + CaF.sub.2                                                                      3     1:1 1000                                                                               1  C     187 n.d.                                        Ulexite 5     --  1100                                                                               1  C      89 n.d.                                        Ulexite 5     --  1150                                                                               1  C     <25 n.d.                                        Colemanite                                                                             5     --  1100                                                                               1  C      71 n.d.                                        Colemanite                                                                             5     --  1150                                                                               1  C     <25  23                                         __________________________________________________________________________      * Leach with 2.5M NaOH followed by 6M HCl + 0.5M NaF (A), or 6M HCl (B),       or 2M HCl (C).                                                                 n.d. = Not determined                                                    

EXAMPLE 18

In this example the selective removal of thorium and then radium from plant synthetic rutile by an acid leach after heating is shown.

A sample of synthetic rutile from the plant at Narngulu (SAMPLE D) was mixed with ulexite (2% by weight) and heated at 1100° C. for 1 hour. Sub-samples of the heated material were leached with hydrochloric acid at 25 wt % solids at 60° C. for 1 hour or with sulphuric acid followed by hydrochloric acid at 25 wt % solids at 60° C. for 1 hour.

The results in Table 18 show that both the thorium and radium are removed when the heated material is leached with hydrochloric acid only but when sulphuric acid is used first and then hydrochloric acid, the thorium (parent ²³² Th and daughter ²²⁸ Th) is removed in the first leach and the radium (²²⁸ Ra) is removed in the second leach.

                                      TABLE 18                                     __________________________________________________________________________                   HEATING                                                                 ADDITION                                                                              Temp                                                                               Time                                                                              ACID   Th.sub.XRF                                                                         Th.sub.γ                                                                     228.sub.Th                                                                         228.sub.Ra                             REAGENT                                                                               (% W/W)                                                                               (°C.)                                                                       (h)                                                                               LEACH  (ppm)                                                                              (ppm)                                                                              (Bq/g)                                                                             (Bq/g)                                 __________________________________________________________________________     No additive                                                                           --     1100                                                                               1  1M HCl 276 n.d.                                                                               n.d.                                                                               n.d.                                   Ulexite                                                                               3      1100                                                                               1  --     290 338 1.38                                                                               1.28                                   Ulexite                                                                               2      1100                                                                               1  1M HCl 109 120 0.49                                                                               0.18                                   Ulexite                                                                               2      1100                                                                               1  0.5M H.sub.2 SO.sub.4                                                                  99 125 0.51                                                                               1.38                                                        1M HCl  99  91 0.37                                                                               0.26                                   __________________________________________________________________________      n.d. = Not determined                                                    

EXAMPLE 19

The removal of thorium from different ilmenite samples from Western Australia is shown in this example.

A sample of ilmenite from different deposits in Western Australia (SAMPLES E and F) was mixed with colemanite (5% by weight) and reduced with coal (-10+5 mm) in a rotating drum at 1100° C. using a heating profile similar to that in commercial Becher reduction kilns to obtain a reduced ilmenite sample of similar composition to that obtained in commercial plants. The reduced ilmenite was leached with hydrochloric acid at 9.1 wt % solids at 60° C. for 2 hours to remove thorium.

In Table 19 the results for the two samples, with and without the addition of colemanite, are compared with the corresponding values for an Eneabba North ilmenite (SAMPLE B). The results show that the thorium can be removed from other ilmenites as well as from Eneabba North ilmenite.

                  TABLE 19                                                         ______________________________________                                                         REDUC-                                                                REAGENT  TION *                                                                  ADDITION   Temp    Time ACID    Th.sub.XRF                            ILMENITE (% W.W.)   (°C.)                                                                           (h)  LEACH **                                                                               (ppm)                                 ______________________________________                                         B        0          1100    10   A       379                                   B        5          1100    10   A        47                                   E        0          1100    10   A       240                                   E        5          1100    10   A        96                                   F        0          1100    10   A       118                                   F        5          1100    10   A        74                                   ______________________________________                                          * Reduction of ilmenite in rotating drum with ilmenite:coal (-10 + 5 mm)       1:1 and 10 h heating profile to 1100° C.                                ** Acid leach with 2M HCl                                                

EXAMPLE 20

The removal of radium during the oxidation (aeration) of reduced ilmenite formed from ilmenite treated with colemanite is shown in this example.

A sample of Eneabba North ilmenite (SAMPLE B) was mixed with colemanite and reduced with coal (-10+5 mm) in a rotating drum at 1100° C. using a heating profile similar to that in commercial Becher reduction kilns to obtain reduced ilmenite. The reduced ilmenite was oxidised (aerated) to remove metallic iron in an ammonium chloride solution (1.2% w/w) at 80° C. with air bubbling through the suspension (to saturate it with oxygen) for 16 hours.

In Table 20 the results for two oxidised reduced ilmenite samples treated with colemanite are compared with the results for a sample without colemanite, and with the initial ilmenite sample. It can be seen that the thorium and radium levels in the product are higher in the untreated sample compared with the initial ilmenite due to removal of iron in the reduction and oxidation treatments. Also it can be seen that in the product from the ilmenite to which colemanite was added, the thorium has been concentrated to a Similar degree as in the sample without colemanite but that an appreciable amount of the radium has been removed.

                                      TABLE 20                                     __________________________________________________________________________                   REDUCTION *       PRODUCT                                               ADDITION                                                                              Temp Time         Th.sub.XRF                                                                         Th.sub.γ                                                                     228.sub.Th                                                                         228.sub.Ra                         REAGENT                                                                               (% W/W)                                                                               (°C.)                                                                        (h) OXIDATION **                                                                            (ppm)                                                                              (ppm)                                                                              (Bq/g)                                                                             (Bq/g)                             __________________________________________________________________________     No additive                                                                           --     --   --  --       357 332 1.35                                                                               1.35                               No additive                                                                           --     1100 10  NH.sub.4 Cl/air                                                                         406 437 1.78                                                                               1.60                               Colemanite                                                                            3      1100 10  NH.sub.4 Cl/air                                                                         415 408 1.66                                                                               1.02                               Colemanite                                                                            5      1100 10  NH.sub.4 Cl/air                                                                         413 423 1.72                                                                               0.89                               __________________________________________________________________________      * Reduction in rotating drum with ilmenite:coal (-10 + 5 mm)  1:1 with a       10 hour heating profile to 1100° C.                                     ** Oxidation (aeration) in 1.2% (W/V) NH.sub.4 Cl solution at 80°       C. for 16 hours, with air bubbling through the suspension                

EXAMPLE 21

The effect of the addition of borate minerals to ilmenite before reduction on the removal of impurities such as silicon/silica, aluminum/alumina, manganese, and residual iron in the acid leach is shown in this example.

Samples of Eneabba North ilmenite (SAMPLE B) were mixed with borate minerals (borax, ulexite, or colemanite) or borax plus calcium fluoride (fluorite), mixed with coal (-10+5 mm) and placed in a drum. The drum was rolled inside a furnace and heated to a temperature of 1100 using a heating profile similar to that in commercial Becher reduction kilns to obtain a reduced ilmenite sample of similar composition to that obtained in commercial plants. The reduced ilmenite was leached with hydrochloric acid at 9.1 wt % solids at 60° C. for 2 hours.

The results in Table 21 show that good removal of impurities is achieved, with a corresponding increase in TiO₂ content, when borate minerals are added to ilmenite before reduction.

                                      TABLE 21                                     __________________________________________________________________________            ADDITION  REDUCTION    ASSAY VALUES                                            Total     Temp                                                                               Time                                                                               ACID TiO.sub.2                                                                         Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3                                                                   Mn.sub.3 O.sub.4                                                                   SiO.sub.2                                                                         Al.sub.2 O.sub.3                   REAGANT                                                                               (% W/W)                                                                              Ratio                                                                              (°C.)                                                                       (h) LEACH                                                                               (%)                                                                               (%) (%) (%)                                                                               (%)                                __________________________________________________________________________     No additive                                                                           --    --  1100                                                                               10  2M HCl                                                                              92.4                                                                              3.22                                                                               1.55                                                                               1.55                                                                              1.12                               Borax  4     --  1100                                                                               10  2M HCl                                                                              95.5                                                                              1.36                                                                               1.26                                                                               1.12                                                                              0.41                               Borax +                                                                               5     2:1 1100                                                                               10  2M HCl                                                                              93.1                                                                              2.24                                                                               1.04                                                                               1.65                                                                              0.35                               CaF.sub.2                                                                      Ulexite                                                                               5     --  1100                                                                               10  2M HCl                                                                              95.7                                                                              1.47                                                                               0.90                                                                               1.42                                                                              0.61                               Colemanite                                                                            3     --  1100                                                                               11  2M HCl                                                                              93.8                                                                              2.72                                                                               1.24                                                                               1.27                                                                              0.51                               Colemanite                                                                            5     --  1100                                                                               11  2M HCl                                                                              95.8                                                                              2.91                                                                               0.92                                                                               0.58                                                                              0.42                               __________________________________________________________________________ 

We claim:
 1. A process for facilitating the removal of radionuclides, and/or one or more of their radionuclide daughters from titaniferous material which comprises contacting the titaniferous material with one or more reagents at an elevated temperature selected to enhance the accessibility of at least one of the radionuclide daughters in the titaniferous material, the reagent(s) being selected to form a phase at said elevated temperature which disperses onto the surfaces of the titaniferous material and incorporates the radionuclides and said one or more radionuclide daughters.
 2. A process according to claim 1, wherein said reagent(s) include one or more glass forming reagents selected from the group of glass forming reagents including borates, fluorides, phosphates, and silicates.
 3. A process according to claim 2, wherein said glass forming reagent(s) is selected from the group consisting of alkali and alkaline earth borates.
 4. A process according to claim 2, wherein said glass forming reagent(s) is selected from the group consisting of calcium and sodium borates, and calcium sodium borates.
 5. A process according to claim 4, wherein said glass forming reagent(s) comprises one or more of Ca₂ B₆ O₁₁, NaCaB₅ O₉ and Na₂ B₄ O₇.
 6. A process according to claim 5, wherein said glass forming reagent(s) comprise one or more of colemanite, ulexite and borax.
 7. A process according to claim 2, wherein said reagent(s) include one or more glass modifiers.
 8. A process according to claim 7, wherein the glass modifier is fluorite.
 9. A process according to claim 1, wherein said elevated temperature is in the range 900° to 1200° C.
 10. A process according to claim 9, wherein said elevated temperature is in the range 1050° to 1200° C.
 11. A process according to claim 1, wherein the heated titaniferous material is converted to synthetic rutile, which is subsequently leached to remove the radionuclides.
 12. A process according to claim 11, wherein said titaniferous material is ilmenite and said conversion includes reduction of iron therein to metallic iron and then aqueous oxidation of the metallic iron to form a separable iron oxide.
 13. A process according to claim 12, wherein the radionuclides are separated out during the oxidation step.
 14. A process according to claim 1, wherein said titaniferous material is synthetic rutile formed by treatment of ilmenite, which treatment includes reduction of iron therein to metallic iron and then aqueous oxidation of the metallic iron to form a separable iron oxide.
 15. A process for removing radionuclides from titaniferous material which comprises the steps of heating the titaniferous material to an extent effective to enhance the accessibility of at least one of the radionuclide daughters to subsequent removal, converting the heated titaniferous material to synthetic rutile, which conversion includes reduction of iron therein to metallic iron and then aqueous oxidation of the metallic iron to form a separable iron oxide, and leaching the synthetic rutile to remove the radionuclides.
 16. A process according to claim 15, wherein said titaniferous material is heated to a temperature in excess of 500° C.
 17. A process according to claim 16, wherein said temperature is at least 1000° C.
 18. A process according to claim 16, wherein said temperature is at least 1300° C.
 19. A process according to claim 15, wherein said titaniferous material is ilmenite.
 20. A process according to claim 15, wherein said titaniferous material is synthetic rutile formed by treatment of ilmenite, which treatment includes reduction of iron therein to metallic iron and then aqueous oxidation of the metallic iron to form a separable iron oxide.
 21. A process for facilitating the removal of radionuclides and/or one or more of their radionuclide daughters from titaniferous material which comprises the step of treating the titaniferous material to cause aggregation or concentration of the radionuclides and one or more of their radionuclide daughters, to an extent effective to enhance the accessibility of at least one of the radionuclide daughters to subsequent removal, wherein said treatment includes a heat treatment of said titaniferous material and contacting of the titaniferous material with one or more reagents selected to form a phase as a result of said heat treatment which disperses onto the surfaces of the titaniferous material and incorporates the radionuclides and said one or more radionuclide daughters.
 22. A process according to claim 21, wherein said reagent(s) include one or more glass forming reagents selected from the group of glass forming reagents including borates, fluorides, phosphates, and silicates.
 23. A process according to claim 22, wherein said glass forming reagent(s) is selected from the group consisting of alkali and alkaline earth borates.
 24. A process according to claim 22, wherein said glass forming reagent(s) is selected from the group consisting of calcium and sodium borates and calcium sodium borates.
 25. A process according to claim 24, wherein said glass forming reagent(s) comprise one or more of Ca₂ B₆ O₁₁, NaCaB₅ O₉ and Na₂ B₄ O₇.
 26. A process according to claim 25, wherein said glass forming reagent(s) comprise one or more of colemanite, ulexite and borax.
 27. A process according to claim 21, wherein said reagent(s) include one or more glass modifiers.
 28. A process according to claim 27, wherein the glass modifier is fluorite.
 29. A process according to claim 21, wherein said heat treatment comprises heating the titaniferous material to a temperature in the range 900° to 1200° C.
 30. A process according to claim 29, wherein said temperature is in the range 1050° to 1200° C.
 31. A process according to claim 1, wherein said titaniferous material is selected from the group including ilmenite, altered ilmenite, reduced ilmenite or synthetic rutile.
 32. A process according to claim 1, wherein the radionuclide daughter whose accessibility is enhanced include ²²⁸ Th and ²²⁸ Ra.
 33. A process according to claim 1, further including the step of separating radionuclide from the titaniferous material.
 34. A process according to claim 1, further including subjecting the treated titaniferous material to an acid leach to remove the radionuclides.
 35. A process according to claim 34, wherein the acid is hydrochloric or sulphuric acid.
 36. A process according to claim 34, wherein the leach comprises a primary leach with sulphuric acid and then a second leach with hydrochloric acid to remove radium.
 37. A process according to claim 34, wherein the acid leach is carried out with added fluoride.
 38. A process for treating iron-containing titaniferous material by reducing iron in the titaniferous material largely to metallic iron in a reducing atmosphere in a kiln, thereby producing a so-called reduced titaniferous material, comprising feeding the titaniferous material, a reductant, and one or more reagents to the kiln, maintaining an elevated temperature in the kiln, recovering a mixture which includes the reduced titaniferous material from the kiln at a discharge port, and treating the reduced titaniferous material to remove thorium and/or uranium and/or one or more of the radionuclide daughters.
 39. A process according to claim 38, wherein said elevated temperature is in the range 900° to 1200° C.
 40. A process according to claim 39, wherein said temperature is in the range 1050° to 1200° C.
 41. A process according to claim 38, further including aqueous oxidation of the metallic iron to form a separable iron oxide, wherein the radionuclides are separated out during oxidation.
 42. A process according to claim 38, further including subjecting the treated titaniferous material to an acid leach to remove the radionuclides.
 43. A process according to claim 42, wherein the acid is hydrochloric or sulphuric add.
 44. A process according to claim 42, wherein the leach comprises a primary leach with sulphuric acid and then a second leach with hydrochloric acid.
 45. A process for facilitating the removal of one or more impurities from titaniferous material which comprises contacting the titaniferous material with one or more reagents at an elevated temperature, the reagent(s) being selected to form a phase at said elevated temperature which disperses onto the surfaces of the titaniferous material and incorporates the impurity(s).
 46. A process according to claim 45, wherein the impurities removed comprise one or more of the group consisting of silicon and/or silica, aluminium and/or alumina, manganese, residual iron, thorium and uranium.
 47. A process according to claim 45, wherein said reagent include one or more glass forming reagents, for example selected from the group of glass forming reagents including borates, fluorides, phosphates, and silicates.
 48. A process according to claim 47, wherein said glass forming reagent(s) is selected from the group consisting of alkali and alkaline earth borates.
 49. A process according to claim 47, wherein said glass forming reagent(s) is selected from the group consisting of calcium and sodium borates, and calcium sodium borates.
 50. A process according to claim 47, wherein said glass forming reagent(s) comprises one or more of Ca₂ B₆ O₁₁, NaCaB₅ O₉ and Na₂ B₄ O₇.
 51. A process according to claim 50, wherein said glass forming reagent(s) comprise one or more of colemanite, ulexite and borax.
 52. A process according to claim 45, wherein said reagent(s) include one or more glass modifiers.
 53. A process according to claim 52, wherein the glass modifier is fluorite.
 54. A process according to claim 45, wherein said elevated temperature is in the range 900° to 1200° C.
 55. A process according to claim 54 wherein said elevated temperature is in the range 1050° to 1200° C.
 56. A process according to claim 45, further including subjecting the treated titaniferous material to an acid leach to remove the impurity.
 57. A process according to claim 56, wherein the acid is hydrochloric or sulphuric acid.
 58. A process according to claim 56, wherein the acid leach is carried out with added fluoride.
 59. A process according to claim 38 wherein the titaniferous material is ilmenite.
 60. A process according to claim 38 wherein the kiln is an elongated rotary kiln.
 61. A process according to claim 38 wherein said reductant comprises a particulate carbonaceous material.
 62. A process according to claim 38 wherein said reagents include one or more glass forming compounds.
 63. A process according to claim 21, wherein said titaniferous material is selected from the group including ilmenite, altered ilmenite, reduced ilmenite or synthetic rutile.
 64. A process according to claim 21, wherein the radionuclide daughter(s) whose accessibility is enhanced include ²²⁸ Th and ²²⁸ Ra.
 65. A process according to claim 21, further including the step of separating radionuclide(s) from the titaniferous material.
 66. A process according to claim 21, further including subjecting the treated titaniferous material to an acid leach to remove the radionuclides.
 67. A process according to claim 1 wherein the radionuclides include thorium.
 68. A process according to claim 1 wherein the radionuclides include uranium. 